Seeing Double
by SchattenTanzer
Summary: With Rumors flying about the O’Neill kids, it was only a matter of time before someone got curious.  Spoilers for Fragile Balance. Takes place 1 month after the events in The O'Neill Clan
1. Chapter 1

Title: Seeing Double 

Summary: With Rumors flying about the O'Neill kids, it was only a matter of time before someone got curious. Spoilers for Fragile Balance. Takes place 1 month after the events in The O'Neill Clan.

Spoilers: Fragile Balance

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors

* * *

"Are you having fun?" Sam asked.

Sam, Jack, Charlie, and Hammond were all gathered around a video feed in the command room. The signal was coming through an open wormhole. On the other side, Daniel, Teal'c, Ry'ac, The Trips, and Sarah sat in front of a MALP.

"Yeah!" The Trips and Sarah called out as one.

"We are," Ry'ac added.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

"Yeah Sam we are," Daniel replied grinning. "What about you guys?"

No one missed the smile Jack and Sam shared but it was Charlie who responded, "Yeah, they're having fun alright. I had to move into the guest house just to get some peace and quiet."

Sam's mouth dropped; finally she managed to say, "Keep it up young man and you'll be staying in the tree house."

"Could we stay in th' tree house too?" Car pleaded, that would be way cool.

"I don't think so Car, no one's gunna live in the tree house," Jack quickly replied.

"So what have you guys been doing?" Charlie asked the kids.

"We're making something," Replied Car.

"Are you letting Sarah help?" Jack asked the boys.

"Me, big help," Sarah spoke up a big grin on her face.

"What are you making?" Sam asked the boys. She didn't see Jack and Charlie shake their heads no at the boys.

"It's a surprise," Car replied

"It's classified," JD added.

"It's for ye," Torq spoke up.

"Am I gunna like it?" Sam asked her curiosity rising.

"I'm sure you'll love it," Daniel replied well aware that Jack didn't want Sam to know what the kids were making.

* * *

Sam's scream was loud enough to wake the dead or in Charlie's case the very tired living. As soon as the scream filtered through his brain Charlie was wide awake. He moved on auto pilot quickly unlocking his safe and pulling out his gun as well as his sword and sheath. He knew all to well that it was better to be over armed than under. Then he was moving his bare feet making not a whisper of sound as he quickly made his way down the darkened hallway of his home. He was worried, what could have made his mom scream like that with his dad in the same room?

Of all the scenarios that Charlie had played out in his head as he made his way to his parent's room the sight that greeted him was so surprising that he hadn't even taken the time to think it. Sam had her back to him and in her hand she held what was left of a bedside lamp that she had obviously used as a weapon. Charlie moved into the room, making sure to get Sam out of his line of fire. Groaning on the floor a few feet in front of Sam was a teenage boy holding his bloodied head.

"Damn it Carter! What did you do that for?" The teen demanded from the floor.

"Shut up," Charlie growled his gun firmly trained on the stranger even as he turned his head in Sam's direction. "Are you alright, mom? Where's dad?"

"I'm fine," Sam replied as she set the lamp down. "I don't know where Jack is. When I fell asleep he was next to me, when I woke up I was in bed with him."

"What is with you two? It's me!" The teen exclaimed as he got to his feet, making a quick grab to keep his boxers from falling down. It was only then that both Charlie and Sam realized that this stranger was dressed in Jack's clothes.

"Who are you?" Sam demanded taking a threatening step towards the teen.

"What are you talking about?" The teen snapped back. "I'm Jack, you know Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"Not from where I'm standing your not," Charlie replied his mind whirling as he tried to figure out what was going on.

Dog tags clinked together as they cleared shirt and the teen replied, "According to these I am."

"They're lying," Charlie replied.

"Do you even understand how much trouble you're in? Impersonating a military officer is a federal offense," Replied Sam.

"Not to mention breaking and entering," Charlie added.

"I am not impersonating anyone! I am Jack O'Neill!" The teen replied whipping the blood out of his eyes.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Charlie asked.

"Why?" The teen demanded.

"I'll call the General and let him know we're coming in. Why don't you take who ever this is into the bathroom and get him cleaned up," Sam spoke as she moved to the phone. She turned back to Charlie, "You might want to get him some clothes that actually fit too."

* * *

Hammond didn't waste anytime letting Daniel and Teal'c know what was going on. It didn't take them long to gate back with all of the kids in tow. Even Ry'ac came with. It was a good thing that he did, SG2 was off world and they needed a babysitter.

By the time Sam, Charlie and the teen arrived at the SGC about an hour later Daniel and Teal'c had already been briefed and were waiting in the briefing room.

Once they got to the SGC Sam led the way while Charlie followed pushing the teen along in front of him. Thankfully Charlie had let him borrow some clothes that actually fit.

"Charlie, take him to the infirmary then have him placed under guard. I'll get the General, meet us in the briefing room," Sam took charge.

"Alright mom," Charlie replied before he turned his attention to the teen. "Alright, you heard her. Move it."

The teen shrugged off Charlie's hand, "You are so grounded young man."


	2. Chapter 2

Alright...Here's the next part. I'm trying to keep it as close to the episode as possible. So text in Italics is stuff that happened it the episode. Anything different is in normal print. Hope you enjoy and Please Review.

* * *

They were once again gathered around the briefing room table. This time they were joined by Janet who was explaining her test results.

"Are you certain, doctor?" Hammond asked.

Janet looked at her report sitting on the table, "Initial tests show that within an acceptable margin of error, the boy's DNA is virtually identical to Colonel O'Neill's."

"What size margin of error are we talking about?" Charlie asked beating Sam to it.

"Very small. In a court of law, the DNA samples we took from the boy would be considered a high-probability match to the DNA we have on file from Colonel O'Neill. There is a tiny abnormality, but for all intents and purposes, it's him," Janet replied.

"Tiny abnormality? Like the fact that he's suddenly quite a few years younger than he's supposed to be?" Daniel asked.

"To be honest, this is way out of my league. We've got some specialists flying in. We're going to run more tests, see what we can learn," Janet replied.

"In the mean time, I suggest we try to make him as comfortable as possible," Hammond said in way of ending the briefing.

"I'll go set up a playstation," Carter replied, it was the least she could do after hitting him with a lamp.

* * *

"Hey dad," Charlie greeted as he entered the VIP quarters where Sam had set up the play station.

"Hey Charlie," Jack replied barely looking up from the game.

"You mind if I join you?"

"Yeah sure you betcha, Sam brought an extra controller."

"Sweet," Charlie replied as he plugged it in and sat down on the bed next to Jack.

It was amazing to Jack how much his sudden shrinking was having no effect on the way Charlie interacted with him, well since he had found out it was really him. They played the game for about an hour without ever mentioning the situation. Unfortunately it wasn't one that they could ignore forever.

"The Trips want to see you," Charlie was the first to broach the subject.

Jack met Charlie's eyes, "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"It's your call dad; I was just letting you know that they've been asking about you."

"Thanks Charlie."

Charlie gave him a small smile, "No problem dad."

* * *

Jack sat alone in the cafeteria. He poured himself some milk when Sam and Teal'c joined him. Jack couldn't help but notice the grin that split Sam's face.

"You know, uh, I think you two are enjoying this just …a little too much."

"Well…you are kinda cute," Sam replied.

"That's 'Sir' to you," Jack snapped causing Sam to lose her grin rather quickly. "And being trapped inside this scrawny little body isn't my idea of cute, Carter."

"Does possessing a younger body not have certain advantages O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned.

"No. Not seein' it. What do you mean?"

"Do you not experience increased health and vitality?"

"My 'vitality' was just fine, thank you."

"I think what Teal'c is saying is valid. How many of us wouldn't trade everything for a chance to be young again…live our lives over?"

"Yeah well I don't plan on staying like this."

"Well, in the meantime, may I make a suggestion? Try enjoying this as much as we are…Sir."

Charlie watched them leave before he moved in to sit across from his father, "You ok dad?"

"Oh just peachy, Charlie. I got Teal'c questioning my vitality and Carter thinks I'm cute," Sarcasm oozed from his words.

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I highly doubt that Teal'c was questioning your 'Vitality' and Mom always thought you were cute."

Jack ran a hand threw his hair, "I can't stay like this Charlie."

Charlie locked eyes with his father and offered him a whisper of a smile, "We're working on it. I just talked to Tomek; he's working on it from his end."

Jack nodded but didn't respond.

Charlie stood, "Come on dad, it's time to do some investigating."

* * *

SG-1 and Charlie were doing a full investigation of the O'Neill household. They had almost searched the entire house with still no sign of why Jack had suddenly de-aged. The only room they had left to search was Jack and Sam's.

It was obvious that no one had been back in the room since Sam woke up in bed with a teenaged version of her lover. The broken lamp was still lying on the floor.

"This is what you hit him with?" Daniel asked as he picked up the lamp.

As Daniel picked up the lamp it gave one last flash of bright light before going dark. The flash of light hit Jack right in the face. _The flash causes a sudden flashback. There's a flash of light, some green dots floating around and then an Asguard face. _

"Whoa…" Jack mumbles stumbling slightly as the flashback hits him.

Charlie grabbed him with a steadying hand before he demanded, "What?"

"Are you ok Jack," Sam asked fear creeping into her voice.

"O'Neill…" Teal'c also seemed concerned.

"What is it?" Daniel demanded.

"Either I'm…remembering a particularly bad dream…or the Asguard paid me a visit last night."

* * *

SG-1, Hammond, and Charlie were all in the briefing room sitting around the conference table. Jack and Charlie sat next to each other. They were whispering to each other and based on the grins on their faces it was a good conversation. 

Hammond was doing his best to ignore the two teens, keeping his attention on the briefing,_ "No offense, but what you're saying doesn't make since." _

"Jack's account sounds like a number of UFO abduction case files I've read," Daniel replied.

"This you remember…my birthday you forget," Jack asked proving that the teens weren't completely ignoring the conversation going on around them.

"Looks like you'll have a lot more…" Daniel replied.

"This encounter is incongruous with all previous contact we have with the Asguard," Teal'c pointed out.

"Thor has indicated that the Asguard have been keeping an eye on human development on Earth in the past," Sam replied.

"But we're allies now. We've cooperated with them on a number of missions," Hammond spoke up.

"This…I would not have agreed to," Jack replied.

"What could they possibly gain from making you secretly younger against your will?" Sam asked.

Jack took a minute to think before shaking his head, "I got nothing."

"General, uh, I'd like to cross-reference some of these old abduction accounts. See if I can find any connection," Daniel spoke.

"Please do," Hammond replied.

* * *

Sam and Daniel met with Hammond later to discuss their findings.

"All the accounts were basically identical…they all matched Jack's version of events exactly," Daniel spoke referring to the book he was holding.

"Except none of them experienced any kind of physical changes as a result of the abduction," Sam added.

"No they didn't, but everything else is bang on. Taken while sleeping, floating paralysis, out of body experience…now, admittedly, all of this does sound familiar, cliché even, if you watch enough TV…but, um, they all described four green globes that seemed to defy gravity, buzzing around them like insects. Now that's too specific to be coincidence," Daniel responded.

"The beings that abducted them…I assume they described the Asguard as well?" Hammond asked.

"Short, big eyes, no hair, weird voices…" Daniel replied.

"The Asguard haven't responded to our attempts to contact them," Sam added.

"Well…if help is coming, it better arrive soon," Janet spoke as she came in from behind.

* * *

Jack and Charlie are playing video games when there's a knock on the door.

Without taking his attention of the game Jack calls out, "It's open."

"Hi Charlie. _How are you doin'_ Jack?"

"Hey Mom." Charlie replied, as he paused the game and they turned to face her.

"Well…I think I'm gettin' another zit…" Jack replied causing Sam to smile slightly, "…and, uh, oh yeah…I'm still a kid. Uh, but beyond that I'm doin' just peachy, thanks. Why?"

Sam hesitates. It's obvious she has something to say, but doesn't exactly know how.

"Charlie can you give us a minute please?" Sam finally asks.

Charlie cast a questioning look at his father. When Jack nodded he stood and excused himself.

"What is it Carter?" Jack demanded after the door shut.

Sam bit her bottom lip still not sure how to say it. Finally she moves to half-sit on the bed next to him. Jack looked over at her and wrapped an arm around her when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Well, Janet's just finished going over the genetic team's analysis of your test results…" Sam finally spoke.

"How bad can it be?" Jack asked trying to keep his tone light.

"You're probably not feeling the effects yet…but, something is happening to your body at the cellular level. Basically, your genetic structure is growing more unstable…" Sam started.

Jack cut her off with a sound and a shake of his head. He holds up his left hand, all four fingers touching his thumb, to indicate that she needs to compact the story to the most important information only.

Sam closes his eyes and looks down for a second before continuing, "Jack…_you're dying."_

As she said those words the tears finally come as she sobbed, "Jack I can't loose you."

Jack pulls her into a hug, "God, Sam…I am so sorry."

* * *

After Sam had got a handle on her emotions enough to stop crying they both made their way down to the infirmary. Sam never left his side, keeping his arm firmly around her waist. Now that she knew he was dying the fact that he looked like a teenager didn't seem to matter.

Janet takes a blood sample with Charlie helping as he can.

"Honestly I feel fine," Jack spoke up resting his chin on Sam's head.

"You'll start to notice the symptoms as the condition worsens," Janet replied.

"How long do I have?"

"It's hard to say."

"Say it anyway…" Jack snapped his head up to face Janet, Sam stiffing at his words.

"Weeks…days…I don't know. You'll notice fatigue first. In the end, your body's vital organs will completely shut down." Janet replied.

"It's like something in your body is causing a total system failure," Charlie spoke up not meeting his father's eyes.

"I don't get it," Jack snapped, "We helped save their skinny asses from the replicators and as a thanks; they shrink me and leave me to die."

"We're exploring every option we have, Jack. _We just need you to hang in there," Sam added causing a smile to briefly cross his features.

* * *

_

Sam and Jacob are walking up the back staircase from the control room to the briefing room.

"Thanks for coming. I'm sure it'll help coming directly from you," Sam told her dad.

"How are Mark and the kids?"

"Good, great, the kids are great. I'll tell them you said hi."

"What about your kids Sam? How are they taking all of this?"

"They don't know yet. Well, at least The Trips and Sarah don't know… we didn't know how to tell them. Charlie knows…he's taking it rather well," Sam replied.

Jacob paused at the top of the stairs when he spots the young Colonel O'Neill standing with General Hammond at the top of the stairs.

"Hi Dad," Jack greeted.

"I'm sorry…Sam told me what was going on, but…what could anyone hope to gain from this?" Jacob replied.

"Can we just, uh, get on with it? I'm not getting any younger."

"Well as I told Sam, our options are pretty limited," Jacob replied.

"You come all this way just to say goodbye?" Jack questioned.

"At this point, I'm here to recommend we put you in stasis until we better understand your condition."

"You want to freeze me?"

"Jack_, we're not talking about cryogenics as we know it on Earth. The risk involved is minimal," Sam clarified._

Jack sighed and looked away, obviously thinking it over.

"No pressure, Jack…but you need to make a decision. We have a team standing by, but if you wait too long, we may not be able to reverse the cellular breakdown," Jacob prompted.

"Jack…please," Sam pleaded.

Jack actually cringed at Sam's plea…how could he say no?

"It's your choice Jack," Hammond spoke up.

"Can I have five minutes to think about it?"

"You can have ten, Colonel."

With a final look at Sam, Jack walked down the stairs.

* * *

After Jack's ten minutes were up and still no sign of him Sam and Daniel made their way down to the guest room where he had been staying.

"You think he'll do it?" Daniel asked as they neared the room.

"If I have to drag the little tyke, kicking and screaming. I didn't admit my love for him just to see him die like this," Sam replied.

Sam knocked on the door before she opened it. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight before her…the guard was unconscious on the floor. Daniel quickly broke into a run back down the hall as Sam picked up the handset next to the door.

"We have a security breach. Level 25. Guest quarters."

* * *

Jack was only a little ahead of them. He swiped a key card to open the elevator doors and slipped inside. The elevator doors closed only seconds before Daniel turned the corner. Just missing him Daniel continued his run.

A few seconds later ignoring the alarms that sounded all around him Jack crouched inside a wall vent. Patiently waiting as a few guards ran by he slipped out as soon as they disappeared from sight. Jack took a second for a quick look around before he walked over to a nearby door. He quickly opened the door revealing the ladder to the surface. Once inside he quietly closed the door and began his long trek up the rungs.

A couple minutes after that the same door opens. Charlie stepped inside closing the door behind him.

"Why are you running dad?" Charlie whispered in the darkness before he followed Jack up the rungs.

* * *

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sam, Daniel and General Hammond are walking through the corridors of the SGC._

"_Security teams have swept the base three times in the last six hours, inside and out. They found nothing. I think it's safe to assume that he's no longer here," Hammond said._

"_Well, Jack knows the SGC as well as anyone. If he wanted a way out, I'm sure he'd find one," Sam said._

"There's been no sign of Charlie either. I think it's safe to say that wherever they are they're together," Daniel said.

Hammond sighed, "_Well, I've notified State and local authorities. With any luck they'll find them soon."_

_Janet walked up from behind, "Sir…there's something you all need to see."_

_Janet led them into the infirmary and over to a computer where Jacob sat._

"_Selmak has had a chance to digest some of the DNA test results we've been collecting and it seems Colonel O'Neill's condition isn't what we first thought," Janet said._

"_He isn't dying?" Sam asked._

"_He is dying, but we think we know the cause. When we first compared Colonel O'Neill's DNA samples to the ones we had on file, the match was almost perfect."_

"_Almost," Daniel said, "you said there was a tiny abnormality."_

"_That's right," Janet replied. "Selmak thinks he knows why."_

"_This is not Colonel O'Neill," Selmak explained._

"_But…" Sam started._

"_He's a clone," Janet replied._

* * *

"_I see. Keep me informed," Hammond spoke into the phone before hanging up and looking over at SG-1 minus Jack that had just walked into his office, "No word yet on…what exactly do we call him at this point?"_

_When no one else came up with an answer Sam replied, "Duplicate O'Neill?"_

"_Sir, we think we might have a clearer idea of what might be going on," Daniel Said._

"_Please, enlighten me," Hammond replied._

"_We know the Asgard clone themselves," Teal'c said._

"_Their very existence depends on their ability to clone their bodies and then transfer their consciousness from one to the next," Daniel explained._

"_But they suffer from grave medical conditions due to thousands of years of cloning," Sam added._

"_Which will ultimately lead to the fall of their civilization if they can't solve the problem of diminishing return in their cloning technology," Daniel said._

"_What does this have to do with Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond asked._

"_We had all the abductees DNA that Teal'c and I interviewed scanned for the same abnormalities as … duplicate O'Neill. AS far as we can tell, none of them are clones," Daniel said._

"_Which means?" Hammond asked._

"_Well, in all likelihood, the Asgard responsible, took the original people and replaced them with duplicates so as not to arouse suspicion," Sam said._

"_They studied the original for a period of time before they switched them back," Daniel added._

"_You think whoever took the real Colonel O'Neill is going to return him?" Hammond asked._

"_It's all we've got, Sir. We're hoping the fact that Colonel O'Neill's clone didn't fully mature is a mistake," Sam replied._

"_What makes you think that?" Hammond asked._

"_The previous actions of the Asgard responsible indicate his desire to remain covert," Teal'c said._

"_Jack's clone's condition is a dead giveaway," Daniel said._

"_So it's a good bet that the Asgard doesn't even know there's a problem or else he would have tried to fix it," Sam said._

"_Well, they'll figure it out when they try to switch him back," Hammond said._

"_If they try to switch," Sam replied._

"_Are you saying if we don't track down the young duplicate, we might not get the real Colonel O'Neill back?" Hammond asked._

"_Well, no, we're sure the Asgard would be able to find him, if he wants. That's not the real issue," Sam said._

"_We wish to apprehend the Asgard responsible," Teal'c said._

"_Intercepting the next switch may be our only shot," Daniel said._

_The buzzing of the phone interrupts them. _

_The General pushes a button on the phone, "Hammond."_

"_General Hammond, Sir… I have a Lt. Colonel Beck from the 10__th__ Air Base Wing at the Air Force Academy on the line for you. He says it has to do with Colonel O'Neill."_

"_Patch him through."_

"_Yes, Sir."_

* * *

Charlie followed his father at a distance throughout the night. He overheard the conversation with Lt. Colonel Beck in front of the liquor store and was even close enough to hear what river the person at the bait shop had recommended. Several times he had been so close to walking up to his father and demanding what the hell he was thinking, but he had decided to let the Colonel calm down a little first.

Charlie had followed his father into a wooded area, smirking at the fact his father still didn't realize he was being tailed. He let Jack settle down on a boulder and get a line in the water before he decided it was now or never.

Charlie started forward closing the distance while keeping his eyes trained on Jack watching for the first hint that his father had detected him. With perfect timing, Charlie spoke just as Jack realized he wasn't alone.

"Catch anything yet?"

"Nope," Jack replied looking over to watch Charlie approach.

Charlie sat down on a nearby boulder, "Dad I--"

"Don't," Jack exploded jumping to his feet. "Just, don't call me that Charlie. Hell, I look like I could be your brother. It's weird."

Charlie stood to better glare at him, "But you're not my brother, dad. You are my father no matter what you look like."

They stood there glaring at each other when suddenly they both tensed.

"_Unless you brought beer that's close enough," Jack called out._

"_Colonel, we need you to come back with us," Sam yelled down after dismissing the guards._

"Something's wrong," Charlie whispered.

"Ya think," Jack, snapped at Charlie before shouting, "_How'd you find_ us?

"I'm serious Dad, she called you Colonel," Charlie replied.

"_A Lt. Colonel Beck called General Hammond and placed you in the area," Daniel shouted back._

"She calls me Colonel all the time Charlie," Jack whispered.

"_A man from whom you recently bought bait said he recommended this river," Teal'c added._

"You're dying so she comes out here with armed guards, calls you Colonel and orders you back to base. She knows you dad, she would have asked, maybe begged, but ordered? Doesn't seem right to me," Charlie said.

"_Tell Jacob thanks for trying but I'm not interested in the deep-freeze deal," Jack called out._

"_Look we're not here to take you to the Tok'ra. There may not be much time," Daniel replied._

"_Never is, is there?"_

"_Okay, well," Daniel sighs, "There's no easy way to tell you this so…Sam's gunna come right out and say it."_

_Sam glared at Daniel before speaking, "Well, sir…as you know, the Asgard depend on cloning technology--"_

_Jack cut her off, "Oh for crying out loud…"_

_Sam closes her eyes, dreading the job of telling him even more bad news…so Teal'c steps up._

"_You have been cloned, O'Neill"_

"_What!?" Jack _and Charlie_ demanded whipping around to face them._

"_We think the Asgard took the real you and made a copy. An unstable one, at that," Daniel said._

"_The real me?"Jack asked._

"_Yeah…the original. That's not your real anything. I'm…I'm sorry," Daniel replied._

"_Where's the original?" Jack asked._

"_Well, that's what we hope to find out, but we need your help," Sam replied._

* * *

Hammond didn't like the tension in his briefing room, unfortunately he couldn't think of anything to end it.

Daniel, Sam and Teal'c sat around one side of the conference table while Jack's clone and Charlie sat around the other. It was the glares Charlie was shooting across the table that made the room a very uncomfortable place to be.

"_We calculated approximately a seven day gap between abductions which puts us at tonight," Daniel said_ doing a good job at ignoring Charlie's glares.

"_This plan sucks. Look, I know you don't think I am … who I am… but, as far as I'm concerned, I am… who… I am," Jack's clone said._

"_The switch is the only chance we have of capturing whoever's behind this," Sam said._

"_What about the fact that this body is dying? I mean, has anyone even thought about that for a second?" When no one speaks up Jack's clone continues, "Oh … I see. You don't care as long as you get the original back."_

With that said, the tension in the room reached the breaking point. In a flash, Charlie launched out of his chair. Before anyone could respond, he had Jack's clone out of his chair and pinned to the wall. Within seconds, everyone was out of their chairs and the General was ordering Charlie to release Jack's clone and to sit down.

"I'm sorry General, but no. Dad you stay," Charlie said as he turned to look at the three other members of SG1, "You three sit!"

While Hammond wasn't happy with the turn of events, he nodded at SG1 his agreement for them to sit before he himself took his own seat.

As they sat Charlie turned back to look his father's clone in the eye, "As far as I'm concerned you are …who … you are. I told you already you're my father no matter what you look like so now I'm adding, no matter how many times you've been Xeroxed copied, is that clear?" With that said Charlie let Jack's clone go and turned back the rest of SG1, "And in case you've all forgotten to me you're all duplicates! None of you are the originals, but I'll be damned if I'd just let one of you die!"

"_We just … we don't know what else to do for him," Sam replied_ not meeting Charlie's eyes.

"_Perhaps the Asgard responsible can fix the mistake," Teal'c said._

"Give Dad a Zat and we'll make sure he doesn't have a choice," Charlie said with an evil smirk.

"I'd prefer a 9-mil to get it out of the sucker," Jack replied.

"_We don't know who or what we might be facing yet," Daniel said._

"_Exactly why you can't just use me as bait and hang me out to dry. You're never going to intercept one of those Asgard beams. The only chance you have of capturing this guy is me," Jack looked over at General Hammond who had been listening intently, "Come on…"_

"_A Zat gun," Hammond replied._

Both Jack's Clone and Charlie relaxed slightly, "Thank you, Sir."

* * *

Jack's clone stretched out across his bed while he leafed through a magazine silently grumbling over the fact that this wasn't technically his bed anymore. Already bored with the magazine he grabbed the radio from the bedside table.

"_Carter, you still got your ears on?"_

Sam and Charlie were standing with Daniel and Teal'c on their porch, _"Yes, Sir."_

"_Daniel, _Charlie_, Teal'c?" Jack asked._

"There right here, Sir," Sam replied.

"_Everything seems to be normal, O'Neill," Teal'c keyed his own radio._

"_Yeah? Not to me," Jack replied._

"_You wanna go over the instructions I gave you again?" Sam asked_

"_Don't worry, Carter, I'm sure I'll figure it out--" Jack was cut off as the Asgard beam took him._

Charlie, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c took off at a run towards the house when they saw the flash of light from the bedroom window. The four of them were halfway there when another flash of light, this one right on top of them lit up the lawn.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi! Well it's been, well forever. I wanna apologize, I'm sorry! I got another story alert for this thing the other day and my muse apparently was listening…so here's the next part. I hope you enjoy. __I also hope the names don't get too confusing. _

_Oh yeah and episode material is still italicized as you can see…_

**Previously: **

"_Don't worry, Carter, I'm sure I'll figure it out-" Jack was cut off as the Asgard beam took him._

Charlie, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c took off at a run towards the house when they saw the flash of light from the bedroom window. The four of them were halfway there when another flash of light, this one right on top of them lit up the lawn.

* * *

**Now:**

The flash was blinding. Daniel blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision, but with a surprised yelp, he tripped pitching forward. He managed to turn the sudden gravity test into a roll. Lying in the damp grass, he snapped his head around to find the reason for his fall. The reason made his jaw drop.

Charlie O'Neill dressed only in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt lay sound asleep on the lawn.

"It appears O'Neill was not the only one to have been cloned," Teal'c spoke up from where he and Sam had skidded to a stop.

Sam looked indecisive, she wanted to check on Charlie but she needed to go check on Jack.

"Go check on Jack. I'll take care of sleeping beauty here," Daniel said.

"Did not sleeping beauty require a kiss to be awakened?" Teal'c questioned.

Daniel's eyes widened, "Uh yeah. Thankfully this isn't a fairy tale."

"Indeed."

As his teammates ran on toward the house, Daniel could only shake his head as he turned his attention to Charlie.

* * *

_The Asgard beam left young Jack lying suspended in the air of an Asgard lab_. He quickly checked to make sure he still held the Zat. The weapon snapped into its firing position as young Jack scanned the room.

He looked to his left and right into the eyes of a similarly suspended figure.

"Dad!" "Charlie!" They both exclaimed.

"Asgard!" Charlie exclaimed pointing at the gray figure entering the room.

Without hesitation _Jack Zatted the Asgard_ and with a small shrug that asked 'why not' he _Zatted the orange device keeping him suspended._

"Dad!" Charlie screamed as he watched Jack plummet to the floor. "Dad! Dad, are you ok?"

Charlie heard a groan before he saw a flash of Zat fire. Then with a scream of surprise, Charlie joined Jack on the floor.

* * *

Jack and Charlie sat next to each other on the bed. They both looked disoriented and kept rubbing at their eyes.

"I get the feeling that we missed something," Charlie said.

"Something important," Jack added.

"_Just a little," Sam replied._

_

* * *

_

"Whoa," Charlie whispered as him and Jack entered the bridge of the Asgard ship.

Jack shot him a questioning look before realizing Charlie had probably never been on an Asgard ship before. "Pretty cool huh?"

"Very," Charlie replied with a grin. "Now which console are you looking for?"

"Hang on let me look," Jack replied inspecting the sleek console in front of him, "Not this one."

"What about this one?" Charlie asked standing at another console nearby.

Jack walked over and nodded, "Yep that's the one."

"Now what?"

"_Far right jewel thingy, up," Jack replied as he moved the control device._

They both froze waiting expectantly. Nothing happened.

"_Ah, and three o'clock," Jack said as he turned the device._

_

* * *

_

"_Y'know I was having the weirdest dream," Jack was saying._

"You think yours was weird I ended up on the back lawn, and I don't sleep walk," Charlie replied.

"The lawn?"

"What's goin' on?" Jack and Charlie asked.

No one had a chance to respond as an Asgard beam lit up the room.

* * *

"_There, you see, Carter? I told you it wouldn't be a problem," Young Jack spoke__ as they materialized on board the Asgard ship._

_Both Jacks were dressed identically. Young Jack walked over to check his original out. They both looked each other over in confusion._

The two Charlies were also dressed identically. They circled each other in awe and with a grin began mirroring each other's movements. They waved.

_The original Jack looked as his teammates, "What's goin' on?"_

_They all look away embarrassed._

"_Wow, uh, you know, I'm, I'm really much taller than I think," Young Jack spoke up._

_Original Jack ignored him, "_Sam?"

"_Colonel O'Neill, meet – Colonel O'Neill," Sam replied._

_Original Jack looked at young Jack before looking back at Sam._

_Sounding both irritated and confused original Jack again asked, "What's goin' on?"_

"_We're pretty sure that this ass-gard over here kidnapped you _and Charlie _and attempted to replace you_ both with clones. For some reason yours never matured," Daniel replied.

"_How long was I asleep?" Jack asked looking bewildered._

"_Seven days," Sam replied._

"I'm guessing that goes for me too." Charlie asked still eyeing his identical clone in wonder.

Sam nodded in reply.

"_That's a record," Jack said._

"Speak for yourself," Charlie replied.

_Jack ignored his son and turned to his clone, "So you're … me?"_

"_You," Both Jacks corrected __simultaneously._

"_Yeah, uh, believe me, if you think it's weird, imagine how I feel being the copy," Young Jack said._

_Loki moans __piteously as he regains consciousness._

"_He is awakened," Teal'c said._

_At Teal'c's words, Daniel marches over to the Asgard followed by Sam. Young Jack watches them while the original Jack watches him. _Both Charlies just watch each other.

"_What's happening?" Loki asked sounding very confused._

"_We were kinda hoping you could tell us," Sam replied._

"_No, no, no, this is all wrong," Loki said._

"_Hey!" Original Jack exclaims as he storms over to the Asgard, "I'll tell you what's wrong. I just woke up, haven't had a coffee, let alone a pee in seven days, and I find out you stole my ass and made a – mini me. Carter, I should be irked currently, yes?"_

"_Yes, I-I would be."_

"_Why don't you tell us who you are?" Daniel asked._

"_Loki," The Asgard replies._

"_According to Norse mythology, that's the god of mischief," Daniel explains._

"_What did you want with Colonel O'Neill _and his son_?" Sam questioned._

"_I have nothing more to say to you," Loki replied._

"_He! We saved your flat little white asses from the replicators. This is the thanks we get?" Original Jack demanded._

"_Hey, at least you're gunna live," Young Jack spoke up._

"_What?" Original Jack asked shocked._

"_Maybe you're a little put out, but this guy didn't hit all the right buttons on the Xerox. This body is gunna fall apart if he doesn't fix me," Young Jack said._

"_I cannot. All the clones suffer the same fate," Loki replied._

"All the clones?" Clone Charlie asked with a sick look on his face.

"_Okay, I'm going back to my original question. What's going on?" Jack asked._

"_I am a scientist, a former geneticist with the Asgard Ruling Council," Loki replied._

"_Former?" Sam questioned._

"_I was stripped of my stature after I was caught performing unsanctioned experiments on humans."_

"_What? You've got sanctioned ones?" Jack demanded._

"_I merely had the courage to do what was necessary to advance our cloning technology."_

"_Instead of courage, some might call it lack of morality," Sam said._

"_Our population cannot withstand the duplication process for much longer," Loki said._

"_Well, how can experimenting on humans change that?" Sam asked._

"_Your bodies are similar to our original form thousands of years ago. Using your physical makeup as a template, I had hoped to find a way to construct a clone that could contain our massively superior intellect. My research was unsuccessful," Loki explained._

"_So much for massively superior intellect," Young Jack _and both Charlies spoke simultaneously.

"_I was gunna say that," Original Jack said._

"_I was going to say, it was unsuccessful prior to my being caught and banished. I would have found what I needed eventually," Loki replied._

"_Why risk coming back here and breaking the law after nineteen years?" Daniel asked._

"_Because, I thought O'Neill was the one," Loki replied._

"_Me?" Both Jacks asked simultaneously._

"_I believed his genetic code contained the key," Loki explained._

"_Mine?" Both Jacks asked simultaneously._

"_Stop it," Original Jack snapped._

"What was I, your backup plan?" Demanded original Charlie.

"The elder O'Neill _was physiologically advanced enough to carry and utilize all the data from the ancient repository of knowledge. That would not be possible for any human one generation ago. He is a significant step forward on your evolutionary path. As are his offspring." Loki said._

"_You just found this out recently?" Daniel asked._

"_I learned about it when all of the Asgard did. O'Neill is legendary."_

_Daniel, Jack and Sam are amazed._

"_Most recently, the Asgard fleet has been distracted by the war with the replicators _and then I learned that the legendary O'Neill had a son."

"_So, you took the opportunity when no one was looking to sneak back here." Original Jack said._

"_I do not regret my actions. I am trying to save my people," Loki replied._

"_Look, I know this isn't all about me, but come on, seriously. I'm dying here," Young Jack spoke up._

"You're not the only one," Clone Charlie added.

"_I cannot reverse your fate. Nor can I explain why _one of you_ did not mature to the proper age as you should have." Loki replied._

"_Well, easy to see why they kicked you out of the science club," Young Jack said._

"_All right, I've hears enough," Jack spoke as he returned to the control console. "Sam, can you call Thor on this thing?"_

_Sam walks over to the console._

"_Please, do not," Loki begged._

"_We already tried contacting the Asgard multiple times," Sam said._

"_You know, you'd think if Thor knew about this?" Jack replied._

_Carter adjusts the console, "Okay, pretty sure that's it."_

_Everyone waits. And waits._

"_All right how long are we go-,"Young Jack stumbles slightly closing his eyes._

"_You alright?" Original Jack asked._

"_Actually, no," Young Jack replied._

"Dad, I don't feel so good," Clone Charlie mumbles swaying slightly.

"Let's, uh, sit you down," Charlie spoke guiding his clone to the floor.

"_What do we do if Thor doesn't show up?" Daniel asked._

_Thor beams aboard the ship._

"_Never mind," Daniel said._

"_Well it's about time," Original Jack said._

"_I apologize for not coming sooner," Thor said as he walked over to where Loki is restrained, "Loki, what have you done?"_

"_Yeah, it seems he's been playing Dr. Moreau behind your back," Young Jack said._

"_Yes! Dr. Moreau!" Original Jack added._

"_You know why I am here. You should have known O'Neill's genetic code was safeguarded for his own protection," Thor said._

"_Excuse me?" Original Jack said._

"_A marker was placed in your DNA to prevent any attempts at genetic manipulation," Thor explained._

"_The abnormality?" Daniel asked._

"_That's why the clone didn't mature," Sam said._

"_Yes," Thor walks over to both Jacks _and both Charlies_. "Loki will be punished for his actions."_

"_Is it true that _they are _the key to solving your cloning problems?" Sam asked._

"_No," Thor replied._

"_But I thought I was advanced?" Original Jack whined._

"_Indeed, you are O'Neill, but our scientists have already determined that while you are an important step forward in the evolutionary chain, the missing link we have been searching for still eludes us," Thor replied._

"_I'm sorry," Original Jack said._

"_Again, I apologize for any inconvenience Loki may have caused," Thor said._

"_Yeah that's what I'd call it," Young Jack said, "_What about you Charlie 2.0?"

"Inconvenienced, yeah that's what this is."

"It's nice to see that sarcasm is a genetic trait," Daniel said.

"_Unfortunately, the eventual genetic breakdown of the clones is not my doing, but rather a result of Loki's inept methods," Thor explained._

"_There was no need for the clones to survive," Loki replied._

_Young Jack _and Clone Charlie _look horrified._

"_Look, Thor? Is there anything you can do for them? The whinning's starting to grate." Jack asked._

"Yeah Thor, there's got to be something you can do," The original Charlie spoke up.

"_You wish your _clones _to live?" Thor asked amazed._

"_You can't just let me _and Charlie 2.0_ die!" Young Jack exclaimed._

"Yeah I'm with him, not wanting to die," Clone Charlie added.

"They're just kids," Original Jack said.

"_Are you certain, O'Neill?"_

"Yes," Original Charlie replies.

_When original Jack doesn't answer, immediately young Jack smacks him in the arm._

"_I'm thinking!" Jack replies before answering, "Yeah."_

"_Very well," Thor replies. "I will attempt to repair _their _DNA. If successful, _they_ should continue to mature at a normal human rate._

"_Thanks," Original Jack _and Original Charlie reply.

_Thor bows._

Sam walks over and wraps her arms around Original Jack who steals a quick kiss.

"I think we need to work on getting Sarah a sister," Sam said.

"Oh yeah, and why's that?" Jack asked pulling her close and resting his chin on her head.

"I just realized we now have two sets of triplets and they're all boys."


End file.
